After Goggle
by spottedhorse
Summary: How The Strip Strangler should have concluded, in my humble opinion. Reviews are always appreciated.


My follow up to the Strip Strangler. Hope you enjoy! BTW, I still don't own any of this, except in my imagination.

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Gil Grissom and his CSI teanm sat watching the news conference from a booth at their favorite diner while they waited for breakfast. On the screen Special Agent Rick Culpepper was being thanked by the sheriff for his assistance in the investigation.  
The food was up and the younger members of the team got up to retrieve the plates.

Grissom looked across the table at Catherine Willows, his right hand 'man.' She was hardly a man however. He was constantly reminded of her femininity whenever she entered a room; breathing became an issue for him then. He had never been more glad to have her enter than last night. He was about to get his head bashed in by a shovel when she fired, killing Syd Google. The whole investigation had been made more difficult by the presence of Culpepper and Gil's own inability to play the politics game. "I never should have put you in that position, Catherine. I'm sorry."

What position? Never doubt and never look back. That's how I live my life."

Grissom was struck by the simplicity of her philosophy. He wished that he could see things that way; it seemed to him that at times all he had were his regrets. "I admire that."

Sara, Nick, and Warrick returned with the plates.

Sara asked, "Whole wheat and fruit? Who ordered that?"

"Here." Said Grissom.

They all check out their plates, ready to dig in. Nick eyed his, "re...fried beans. Mmm!"

Everyone laughed Sara pulled up her chair to the table and took her seat as they all began to eat. Once breakfast was finished the team split up, each heading to their own beds; except Grissom and Catherine. They continued to sit a few minutes longer.

"So, what's your day look like?" Gil asked.

"Oh," sighed Catherine. "Home to bed...then the evening with Lindsey, I suppose."

Gil smiled subtly. Visions of Catherine in bed played through his head. He tried to chase them away, something he had never quite learned to do, despite years of practice. She saw his expression and wondered what he might be thinking.

"And your day? Besides ice on the arm, I mean."

Grissom winced at the mention of his arm. Syd Google had hit him hard with the wrench, leaving no mystery about his intent. If Catherine hadn't shown up, Grissom knew he would probably be on Doc Robbins table by now. "Haven't thought about it. Reading, I guess."

Listening to his tone, Catherine thought he sounded a bit melancholy. Maybe it wasn't a good day for him to be alone. _God knows,_ she thought, _he's used to being alone. But there are sometimes when a body needs company_.

"Want to come over and we'll pop in a movie...or maybe just talk?"

Staring at her in thought, Gil hesitated to answer. _A movie...or talk. Am I up for this? She just saved my life and the way I'm feeling...will I be able to keep things just friendly? _"Sure," he said. "Sounds good."

"Yeah...and then I can be sure that you keep ice on that arm."

After arriving at her house Catherine ushered Grissom in, pointing him to the couch. "Drink?"

"Sure..."

Moving around her kitchen, she quickly put together two screwdrivers and headed to the living room to join him. As he watched her walk into the room, he felt the all too familiar feeling. His heart skipped a beat as he reminded himself to breathe. She handed him his drink and curled up on the couch next to him. It was a scene they had played often. But today he had a heightened sense of her presence. "You saved my life..."

"Yeah...well, nothing you wouldn't do for me, right?"

He gazed into her eyes, knowing what he wanted; wondering if she had any similiar feelings. He knew she had a strict policy of not fishing off the company pier... a wise choice in his view. He had dabbled with fellow employees, taking them to dinner, or a movie, or maybe a show but he'd rarely ever made it past a first date with them. His heart was never in it.

"Gil?" Catherine was confused by his distant look."Where are you?"

Her question jarred him from his trance. "I'm here...with you."

"What were you thinking about? You seemed so far away..."

"Just that...after last night, things seem so much more...intense this morning."

"What's more intense, Gil?"

"Uh...emotions, I suppose."

She was tempted to retort with a crack about the Tinman with no heart but something in his tone of voice stopped her. "Yeah...I can see where nearly getting yourself killed might make things a little more intense. But what emotions are you feeling so strongly about this morning?"

He considered evading her. But some deep impulse pushed him on. "You...the way I feel about you."

Suddenly the room seemed very quiet. He could hear the ticking of a clock somewhere. It seemed like forever before she responded. "Me? We're okay aren't we? I mean, I did just shoot a guy for you." Her voice sounded warm, sultry to him.

"Okay? Yeah...but right now I have this strong feeling that..."

"What Gil?"

"I...want to kiss you."

"So..." Her expression was an open invitation.

Timidly he cupped her chin and leaned toward her. Her lips tasted fruity. And they were so soft...lucious. His body was flooded with sensations as contact was made. Years of denial fell away as he explored; years of desire took hold. Her lips parted, granting him entry. She gasped and moaned as his kiss intensified. Their tongues sparred and then fell into a rhythm of touching and taunting. The kiss alone was sending him into a frenzy that he hadn't felt in a very long time. It was sexual and much more.

Finally he had to break for air. His face was not more than an inch from hers though as they both caught their breath. His heart was pounding so loudly that he thought she must be able to hear it. Heat radiated from her, adding to his own. The rest of the world had disappeared. His entire existance was tuned to hers. "Catherine.." he whispered weakly.

Her hand was playing in his hair, making his brain fuzzy. The usually logical, unemotional, analytical Gil Grissom was a mass of emotions and feelings...and physical sensations that took him beyond logic. All he could think or feel boiled down to one thing...he wanted her, needed her. Caught in her web of sensuality, he felt delightfully trapped. "Oh god..."

"Gil? What is it?" she asked gently.

"I...you...I can't breathe...you take my breath away...I, um...I don't know what to do with this...I know what I want, but..."

"Oh," she smiled seductivly. "What do you want?"

"Ah...you...I want..."

"Don't try to tell me...show me, Gil. Show me what you want." There was no mistaking the wantoness of her tone. Whatever he wanted, she wanted it too.

There was no timidity in his second kiss. He wanted to explore her, know her, possess every part of her. He left her lips and began to explore her neck. Her moans and sighs encouraged his exploration. He continued, working his way around her body, slowly divesting her of any clothes that were in his way. Enjoying his attentions, she was searching for more skin. Her fingers worked at his shirt buttons until his chest was freed. He paused long enough to allow her to slide his shirt off. She was surprised by his lack of chest hair. Her hands caressed his smooth chest in appreciation. Her eyes took in his lines, hinting at the muscle that rested beneath. So many men were overdeveloped in her opinion. He was just right in her estimation. Both moaned as chest came into contact with chest.

The foreplay continued as each uncovered the secrets that they kept hidden from one another for years. The heat and flames were consuming him, making him feel as if he might explode. She moaned his name and demanded that give her release. His own skin on fire and his brain about to burst, he took her; she willingly gave herslf to him. Once the act was completed and they laid entangled on the couch exhausted, he was finally able to breathe again. "Cath...I..."

"Shhhh, don't talk...don't spoil this with logic or reason. I want to just keep feeling it...feeling you."

"That's just it...I've lost all reason where you are concerned...you feel...make me feel...so good. This feels ...god Cath, like nothing I've ever felt before...so much more than ever before." Worry crossed his features as he laid there. "This isn't...one time, is it?. I want so much more...I want you Catherine, all the time. I have for years. "

Her chuckle was dripping with lust. "Then I'd say we have a lot of lost opportunites to make up for."

There was so much he wanted to say but he couldn't make the words come together in his mind, so he contented himself with lying on her couch with her body wrapped around him, providing a warmth and comfort that gave him peace. There would be time for words later. Right now he just wanted to savor this moment. And the next.

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So, you like?


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